The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preparing shielded cable for termination to a shielded plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,575, describes a modular plug having a shield to protect against EMI/RFI and ESD at the interface with a shielded flat cable. Such a plug is sold by AMP Incorporated as its SDL or Shielded Data Link Connector. Its primary usage is in computers, computer peripherals, video games, point of sale equipment, and process control equipment. To prepare the cable for mass termination, the outside insulative jacket at the end of the cable in stripped away and the underlying shield is rolled or folded back against the outside jacket where it contacts an extension of the connector shield in the cable receiving opening of the plug.
A known method of preparing a shielded flat cable for termination entails first removing the outside jacket proximate the end of the cable using a stripping tool such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,478. The exposed conductive shield is then cut on opposite edges of the cable and folded back against opposed flat surfaces of the cable. This method, while effective, is quite time consuming.